Jerky oven

Abstract

A smoker oven that includes a housing having an internal cavity having a top portion, a mid-portion, and a lower portion. The internal cavity houses a support frame that has at least one generally horizontal support surface for supporting a jerky rack, the support frame being suspended from the top portion of the housing. A heater and a smoke source, positioned immediately over the heater are located in the lower portion of the internal cavity, so that an amount of smoke released in the lower portion is allowed to rise to the support frame to expose the support surface of the support frame to the amount of smoke as a filter is used to remove the smoke form the top portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A smoker oven comprising: 
       a housing having an internal cavity having a top portion, a mid-portion, and a lower portion;  
       a support frame having at least one generally horizontal support surface adapted for supporting a support rack, the support frame being suspended from the top portion of the housing, the support frame extending around the generally horizontal support surface, the support frame being spaced apart from the mid-portion of the internal cavity;  
       a heater for providing heat to the lower portion;  
       a support adapted for retaining a smoke source, the support being positioned immediately over the heater; and  
       a filter for filtering smoke, the filter being in fluid communication with the top portion of the internal cavity, so that an amount of smoke released in the lower portion is allowed to rise to the support frame to expose the support surface of the support frame to the amount of smoke as the filter is used to remove the smoke form the top portion.  
     
     
       2. A smoker oven according to  claim 1  and further comprising a support rack having a planar support surface and a plurality of angle support surfaces, the angle support surfaces being adapted for supporting the food product in sheet form at an angle to the horizontal support surface. 
     
     
       3. A smoker oven according to  claim 2  wherein the angle support surface is generally sinusoidal. 
     
     
       4. A smoker oven according to  claim 1  and further comprising a frame motor mounted over the top portion of the housing, the frame motor being connected to the support frame to rotate the support frame. 
     
     
       5. A smoker oven according to  claim 1  and further comprising a smoke source, the smoke source being positioned within the lower portion of the housing. 
     
     
       6. A smoker oven according to  claim 5  wherein said smoke source is an amount of sawdust contained in a can. 
     
     
       7. A smoker oven according to  claim 6  wherein said smoke source is positioned immediately above the heater. 
     
     
       8. A smoker oven for processing a food product in sheet form, the smoker oven comprising: 
       a housing having an internal cavity having a top portion, a mid-portion, and a lower portion;  
       a support frame having at least one generally horizontal support surface for supporting a jerky rack, the support frame being suspended from the top portion of the housing, the support frame extending around the generally horizontal support surface, the support frame being spaced apart from the mid-portion of the internal cavity;  
       a heater for providing heat to the lower portion;  
       a support adapted for retaining a smoke source, the support being positioned immediately over the heater;  
       at least one aperture through the enclosure, the aperture allowing air to flow into the lower portion of the cavity; and  
       a filter for filtering smoke, the filter being in fluid communication with the top portion of the internal cavity, so that an amount of smoke released in the lower portion is mixed with air introduced through said at least one aperture and allowed to rise to the support frame to expose the support surface of the support frame to the amount of smoke as the filter is used to remove the smoke form the top portion.  
     
     
       9. A smoker oven according to  claim 8  wherein said support frame is removably suspended from the top portion. 
     
     
       10. A smoker oven according to  claim 8  and further comprising a frame motor mounted over the top portion of the housing, the frame motor being connected to the support frame to rotate the support frame. 
     
     
       11. A smoker oven according to  claim 9  and further comprising a smoke source, the smoke source being a can containing an amount of wood, the amount of wood corresponding to a cooking time. 
     
     
       12. A smoker oven according to  claim 9  and further comprising a smoke source, the smoke source being positioned above the heater and below the support frame. 
     
     
       13. A method for processing a food product in sheet form, the method comprising: 
       providing a smoker oven comprising:  
       a housing having an internal cavity having a top portion, a mid-portion, and a lower portion;  
       a support frame having at least one generally horizontal support surface for supporting a jerky rack, the support frame being suspended from the top portion of the housing, the support frame extending around the generally horizontal support surface, the support frame being spaced apart from the mid-portion of the internal cavity;  
       a support rack having a planar support surface the support rack being positioned within the support frame such that the support frame lies between the support rack and the housing;  
       a heater for providing heat to the lower portion;  
       at least one aperture through the enclosure, the aperture allowing air to flow into the lower portion of the cavity; and  
       a filter for filtering smoke, the filter being in fluid communication with the top portion of the internal cavity;  
       placing the food product in sheet form on the support rack at an angle to the planar surface;  
       heating an amount of air the lower portion with the use of the heater;  
       mixing the amount of air in the lower portion with air introduced into the cavity through the at least one aperture; and  
       rotating the support frame to move the food product in sheet form at an angle to the direction of rotation, so that the angle of the food product in sheet form agitates the air in the internal cavity.  
     
     
       14. A smoker oven according to  claim 9  and further comprising a smoke source positioned over the at least one aperture, the smoke source being a can containing an amount of wood, the amount of wood corresponding to a cooking time. 
     
     
       15. A smoker oven according to  claim 9  and further comprising a smoke source, the smoke source being positioned above the at least one aperture and above the heater and below the support frame. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 14  and further comprising creating a flow of air and smoke by pushing the amount of smoke and air by rotating the food product in sheet form at an angle to a direction of movement of the food product in sheet form.